The Dillon tribune., 1887-11-04
. MIDDLE AGED CHERUB.

use. VIZ ,;e ready to my hand; but my hand
forge ~ fro,n the last, the desperate
shrlnh' At 4j, health, money, wife,
stfose st,s.r Ithough against them we'll may
cnllu'oA orudge), even, may say, honor
bear nnnhlemished reputation, are not
ana a" =, he abandoned without Il strug-
tnns,y nsyat life and all the rest are enlbit-
Sc. 20 me by one misfortune, which no
NIe. N., have enabled me to overcome, no
enoa. ep:a;s,, has availed to disregard; and, had
s'y'S .ho co,,race, priest rs I am, l would
lue the blow. and suicide should drop
SUI sun, ,,orciful curtain upon the pitifll farce
t.0 .,,, n ovistencc. Let me see if penning
=. o.. M tale of my woes will nerve my hand
N end them
yct the tale will but move the world to
,,,,ahter. NV wife has long pooh-poohed
aaa ~ and urged me mot to think of it;'' as
LII lc nrpe the eel not to think of skinning.
W W.T.. tho fugitive cur to disregard the kettle
ved ~ to his tail. But then she is supported
Nv the courage and a good deal of the ap-
nsarance of q grenadier.
0ld friends speak sympatllizingly and
.ov .Well, old fellow, wish 1 had half
ss, sonr complaint. But some men never
.re satisfied All! know their tones
- regret and envy are mere mockery;
ssfe in the possession of gray hairs and
oonty toes. they know they can trifle with
me as they please.
lean scarcely bear to divulgc my secret
N those who do not know me and it, but
must. Ny curse is this. r., man of
Ak husband, the father of u great lout
Of a lad and a gawky girl, priest in
holy orders and u bachelor of divinity,
have the face, the figure, the voice, and
The carriage Of a cherry checked boy of
H. All! you may laugh, but none can
inow what endure till they have tried
Il, Just consider. look like q nice,
healthy, lower school 10y. Ny checks are
pink and smooth; my hair is yellow and
rough and plenty of it; my waist is slim,
nv back is fiat; walk with II sprjngy
step; at times involuntarily I run, and I
believe still could beat any alto in my
old school choir
It was not till after left Oxford that I
became conscious of my affliction. At
college many of us do like boys. and act
like boys too. My post was naturally the
pleasant one of cox of the college eight, and
although raftmen and bargees guffawed
privily when came down to the boats.
and little boys from the towpath nlimickei
my shrill, imperative voice, still was
petted and popular, as cox is by virtue Of
his office, and was happy. They carried
me shoulder high round tho quad and
placed me on the table at 'wines'' to pipo
my treble songs, and, II felt like q tit
mouse beside the giants of my crew, was
but fulfilling my steersman's mission.
Those indeed, were golden days. But
tom IT,. time announced n determine
ton to take orders, trouble grew up
around me. Tutors said they doubted il
lshould have ''enough influence clergy.
men, to whom applied for title, seemed
skeptical OF my ''seriousness;' and when
lcalled on the examining chaplain to the
bishop OF my choice and explained the OBJ
iect OF my visit, the good man looked p1,z-
zed, but smiled kindly and asked with Il
surtouv point de zele air If didn't think
had better not have troubled to come to
him till l was within more measurable
distance Of the earliest age for ordination.
And at that moment was "a.
At that time, indeed, l knew I looked
boyish; but then often felt boyish, and
not being q vain peacock, I gave little
critical study to my appearance; vanity is
not my besetting sin, and in those days I
dld not stare gloomily in the glass for the
purpose OF detecting some hope, some
promise Of age, or, indeed, for any
otner purpose. Though below the
middle height, I am not dwarf, and
as yet the awful conviction of the truth
mad not forced itself upon me. l did not
Know how childlike a front l presented.
AZ last, however, obtained u curacy in q
parish, where we had fine old church, a
considerable choir, and several other
eealates, and, finding my vicar kindly, and
ls wife positively affectionate, l settled
oown to my work and looked forward to
. happy and beneficent life. Within a
week my hopes were crushed. There
oeleu me calamity which has left me
ever since blighted and tispiritcd being.
had but just been ordained, and was
very 1ull OF tho solemnity and the dignity
VI my new position. We had just finished
wedding in humble life, and about half
~ nour was to elapse before mathis.
aau taGen q subordinate part in indis-
ssuuoly yoking bashful country lass
%a :. very bemused looking gaby from the
plow tail, and was waiting in INV
ssutpAcc Tor the service in which was. SO
NJ %t speak, to make a ''frst appearance"
a.a. aue weather was hot, and laid aside NV
Ssass s.oe ana hood for II while; for was as
roua trot,! and careful of their untarnished
sas.hhs sas.s glory as a mother of her first
t;na ' a. ano stood at the vcstry door chat.
snt s 10 my vicar and two of nv fellow
to;1at ates, who were making their mystical
s~oa. as. "!thln. On sudden heard Il very
: s. no.,, s'rls voice saying, ooh: do wish
shov,s ha,1 make ont this wintlov-thcre
loor;no l,u os some one to explain it," and
s1Ssl 1SAas down the church I saw one s;o11t
aminis, s lady and two slim young ones OK
~ sna''n,ng window Of Ananias and S,nnhi-
nv, I ! : looked again at the Girls, ana OBJ.
S.; S:a i recognized two fair Americans who
term tbpe..leu tbesa IN Oxford during my last
passiona,ee ana had been the objects OF my
Never ~, ana heart stricken devotion.
and intr;' M l forgotten them. Cajo,cry